The Sun. — London, England, 1818-12-04 00:00:00

LITERARY REVIEW. 'LETTER to 'AILL 'FITE PROPMEtORS or tißtifit `LANE THEATRE (excepting-IVI/Efi. MOORE, 'Esq. and others vino are, or have hten, =concerned went thereof) ; being a Counnentary on certain partrof an , anonymous Pamphlet,. called " A trief Reriese,of the' a son 1817-IS, at the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane, &c. &c. 'Sze." and a conclusive Detection of the Author, by "SA MUEL JAMES - ARNOLD, Req. a Proprietor. Also, LETTER, relative to the Sutqedt, frern tire Ufa SAIIIIIEL WI-lITI3READ, Esq. M P. •&c..tzt. " The king-dom swarms with such nnmhers of felonious murderers, and robbers of private cnaractcr and virtult, that no honest or good man i , safe . ; especially as these cowardly base assassins stab in the dark, without having the courage to sign their realnames."—Draper's Letters to ..TUnias, Let ter 2, t ul. 1. The Author of this Pamphlet comes forward '.s ith a doable claim to the attention of the Pntr. lie. lie is the son of Dr.. ARNOLD, one of the most respectable of our native Musical 'Composers, who has left many memorials of his professional knowledge, taste, and genius ; and he is himself the Author of several Dramatic ‘Vorks that do credit to his talents, and have contributed, in no slight deOee, to the amusement of thi;.Public. It 'anpears from this Pamphlet, that Mr. ARNOLD has been the suhFct Of anonymous celisure, in refer ence to his conduct as the Manager of Drury- Lane Theatre. This censure he imputes to Mr. PETER MOORE, the Gentleman who is understood to he at present the chief Director of that Theatre. it most, however, be observed, that it is rather by reasoning and inference, than by direct proof, that he substantiates this charge, though it must he admitted that his arguments are strong and his deductions probable. We shall not, how ever, enter into the dispute. nor into the pe cuniary concerns of the Theatre, as stated in this work, as they have unhappily been too much exposed to the Public alteady.—it is sufficient for us to say that we consider this pamphlet as a - manly and satisfactory effort 'of self-defence, written with more temper than might he ex pected from a mind conscious of its own rec titude, and indignantly repelling unjust impu tations.—ln justice to the Author we shall ex tract the following Letter from the late Mr. 'HITBREAD, a very discerning man, and who was not I , kely to be deceived in his opinions for want of due enquiry on any subject that Might engage his attention. The Letter is ad dressed to a friend of that Gentleman, and has very properly been put into the hands of ?Ir. ARNOLD, whose character it fully vindicates, - and , vho has paid a tribute of respect to the me— mory of Mr. WHITBREAD, which is strongly marked by feelings that do honour to himself. “ COPY OF A LETTER FROM S. WHITBREAD, ESQ. T 0 - MY DEAR SlR,—Although I have not known you known ton much of you, not to be thoroughly persuaded that in all you do, you act conscientiously; and you have known enough of me, to be convinced that 1 cannot take amiss what is well intended. " I thank you for your communication, because it evinces a friendly interest for me, and the great c oncern in which I have so great a share of re sPonsibililY, and because it gives me an opportu nity of hilly and explici , ly declaring my senti ments to you, without any wish tout thcy ahould be concealed from collets. _ _ " That I must have been disappointed in the Receipts of the Theatre up to this period of the present season, is obvious ; and that 1 dislike the tlegree of elaniour and unpopularity which has been excited against it, is most true. But I cannot be so unjust to the Manager as to suppose, that the temporary failure in the Receipt is without a parallel in Theatrical An nals ; or that the clamour and unpopularity are just, or attributable to the want of the neces sary qualification in the Manager for his sta tion. I most of course have maturely reflected on these things, and have scrutinized, as narrowly as my capacity will enable me to do it, the cause of these effects, and the conduct of those employed. Your Letter, added to the conversation I bad with you the other day, has led to a revision of all my thoughts upo❑ the subject ; anti after all, I frankly confess to you, that so long as 1 am engaged in the superintendance of this compli cated and capricious machine, and Mr. Arnold continues to be what he has been since I have known him, I would not exchange him for any person who could be named or found. " Du not suppose that I make this declara tion i,r ignorance of any things which come to your ears, and arc unheard by me. Mr. Ar nold's friends are too numerous, not to keep me, by one channel or another, informed of every thing I 'ought to know ; of many things with which I have no concern ; and too active not to invent a great deal that I know to be false. " Having now said precisely and succinctly what Isthink, you will not deem me capable of giving op a man because he is unpopular only; but you have a right to expect reasons why maintain a man whom you represent as univer sally condemned. " I must premise, that Mr. Arnold hail never been seen by use till he was introduced by Mr. T. Sheridan as a person fit to manage, if he would undertake it, and the Theatre should ever be completed. " His conversation on the business pleased me, and l% hen the time came, in the name of the Sub- Committee I offered him the situation he fills, upon the terms I myself had originally named to hint : he accepted it ; and from that hour to the present, I never have had the slightest ground to question his veracity, integrity, punctuality, and exclusive devotion to the interests of the Drury- Lane Theatre. " He has been assailed by flattery and abuse ; I h ave never known him bend to either. I have differed in opinion with him, and I never knew mint give way but upon conviction. I ha►e known him differ front others in various rela tions towards him, and never knew him abide by an opinion, merely because he had delivered it. '• 1 have never seen an instance of partiality in the bubiness of the Theatre, either theatrical or 'Lila. to be •2 3 uat4e. of professional talent ; and I have never known hiM say decidedly good or bad, that the public did not confirm his judgment. " Attempts may he made to run such a man down, but he must not be given np. "" Why, (Iva, is he So . unjyopular 1 First, Because be does bit .duty ; and p kbow "bi"exiverienCe,' Nati* teinpnrtiry uttpeolarisby ,in every sphere, is the consequence ol an honest dis charge of 'duty. " Secondly, Because there are in an theatres persons who 'have been Managers, who dislike to - tee •the lag anagement in other hands : oklvers who . -aspire to be Managers ; and, thirdly, because be is not one of the profession. " Fourthly, Because he is charged with the execution of the Orders of the SohXotninittee, so that every thing 'harsh or unpleasant is sup posed '(srost linjosily) to proceed trial him, a nd every Act of Grace (with equal injustice) front them. In the contests in which I have known him engaged with the Performers, he has for the greatest part, according to my judgment, been in the right ; never absurdly, or malevolently wrong; and in this Jepartment every Manager must hare a great deal to go through. " All the instances of negligence attributed to him, whereby it is said be has lost popular Per formers to the Theatre, are false— " MRS. JORDAN. • " MR. CONWAY. • " MISS STEPHENS. " He offered Mrs. Jordan, with the approba tion of the Sub-Committee. the same terms that Mrs. Sn!dons had for the last years of her engage ment ; Mrs. Jordan asked double,-:-40 guineas a night and a Benefit. " She was told the Theatre could not afford it ; she treated us lightly, and said she could make more of her talents at Country Theazres, Her letters are extant. " The next thing we learned respecting Mrs. Jordan was, that she had engaged at Covent- Garden upon the terms, or very nearly the terms, that Mr. Arnold bad offered her. " Vas Mr. Arnold to blame i Yet I have heard it roundly asserted, that Mrs. Jordan herself should have said that it was Mr. Arnold's fault she was not engaged at Drury-Lane. " It has been said, and to have come from Mr. Conway himself, that Mr. Conway had written to Mr. Arnold offering his services at Drury-Lane, and had engaged at Covent-Garden because Mr. Arnold had not answered his Letter. For the falsehood of this report, I refer you to the en closed papers, No. 1,2, 3, and 4, where you will see the whole case stated, and my opinion upon it. Miss Stephens was engaged at Covent-Gar den before the Drury-Lane Manager ever heard of her. Unsuccessful pieces there have been several. The two Farces of last year W. Arnold said might do; at all events, they were the best we had be fore us, and they were worth trying. " The Tragedy (Remorse), he said, Would act ; and he took all the pains a man could do to make it succeed. I sent it to him. " Godolphin,, he told me, over and over again, would fail ; but 1 urged it on, contrary to his judgment, because it was highly thought of by some of our Sub-Committee ; because the author accused Mr. Arnold of rero.and pique against him ; and because some members of the Theatre, of great reputation, were said to have spoken very highly of it. Mr. Thompson confessed befeire me, that nothing could have been better support ed than his Play, and that he was much indebted to Mr. Arnold for his conduct. " He is accused of thrusting forward his own productions, and the Devil's Bridge is instanced. 1 intreated him to let the Devil's Bridge be play ed ; he foretold the obloquy he should encounter, but I told him, for the interests of the Theatre, be ought to brave it. He did so, and lam gild he did, for both last year and this it has been be neficial to the property. " He is accused of not following the taste of the Town, in playing three Farces, instead of the old practice of Play and Farce ! And who are his accusers 1 The very people who wanted a second Theatre and a third, in order drat they might gra tify their classical appetites in the enjoyment of our good old Comedies. " A bad. Company of Performers " He has only to call the Roll, to refute the calumny against some of the finest Comedians that ever played, and a great tragic strength. It Garrick wet e alive, and forced to take one or the other Company as it now stands, my life upon it he would stick to Old Drury. "The receipts, after all, tell the history of the Manager. People say so. Be it so ; hut let it he recollected, that our concern is carried on in the open air; all we do or feel is known, seen, and canvassed. Other concerns are more private, but I suspect that the first 50 Rights of this sea ion at Drury-Lane exceed the first 50 nights of the Covent-Garden receipt last year ; and it must be allowed to their credit, that our resurrection stimulated them to great exertion. " In some respects we have to complain of our Sister Theatre ; instead of co-operating to resist oppressions, Ole subject of common complaint, they have yielded to them more than ever this season, as 1 am informed. " Now I believe I have treated upon all the topics which can occur in conversation relative to Mr. Arnold. " You are in postession of my sentiments, end you will not wonder that I decline the offer of a person of whose reputation I have heard all that is good, but who is utterly unknown to me. I should, however, do injustice to myself and to Mr. Arnold, it I were to let it rest thus nega tively. All men have their imperfections, but with his share, like other men, for the situation which he holds, I would not change him for any man who could be recommended or obtained. " You know.bow I have been drawn into this ‘vhillpool of business, and that-I could not say, Here my duty ends,' when the Theatre opened. The work was not halt done ; but I have been very lucky in the persons with whom I have been connected in (be Itnilditig and managing. I knew nothing of the Architect, Builder, or Manager, till the business of their respective departments rr HE SUN. •OLEO( QUIS MCERE FAL,SUM AIMEAT LONDON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1818. We received this morning the Paris Papers of Tuesday last. ,The following are extracts " PARIS, PFC. E—The King yesterday re ceived several Alilitary Officers. " It is announced, that General Lamarque, MM. Desermont and Courtin, included in the Se cond List of the Ordonnance of the 24th July, and who are amongst the number of exiled French men that have received permission to return to France, arrived at Paris three days since. " The Count de Nesselrode, the Russian Mi nister for Foreign Affairs, arriced at Paris on Sa turday last. " The Duke d'Angouleme set ont from Sedan on Friday last for Mezieres. His Royal Highness is expected to-day at Valenciennes, and on Thurs day next at Lille. " The Duke of Wellington arrived at Paris yes terday evening. FIVE PER CENTS. M0nday.......... .. 69f. -c. DEFERRED STOCK Of the 21d March, 1817, So f. —c. 22(1 Sept. 1817, 42d March, 1818, 78 f.. —c. 4-2 d Sept. 1818, FRANKFORT, NOV. 24.—The King of Prussia set out yesterday evening for flanao. " Lord Stewart, the English Ambassador to Vienna, arrived here to-day from Aix-la-Cha pelle. Vintora, Nov. 20.—According to letters from Constantinople, the Porte has transmitted to the Russian Ambassador its answer respecting the disputed limits on the banks of the Piia,is in Colchis. The answer was sent off by a Comic: to Aix-la-Chapelle. " The Emperor and Empress of Austria are expected here from Munich on thesth December. " AIX-LA-CHAPELLE, NOY. 25.-1 n all the Acts of Congress there is no question of any change of frontiers of the different States, which are, on the contrary, to be maintained by the neaties in all their integtity. " VIENNA, Nov. 20.—We learn from Aix-la- Chapelle, that the relations of the Powers of Europe in general, with the Barbary States, have formed the subject of Diplomatic Declarations, and that our Ministry declared upon the occasion, that notwithstanding the Treaties in force with the Ottoman Porte relative to the Austrian Navi gation, our Court was ready to co-operate, in pro portion to our maritime relations, in the mea sures which the other Powers should consider ex pedient. The English Miuiattr declared in nearly the same terms. It is said, that the Emperor of Russia will not come to Vienna till after he has been at Petersburg!), where he intends to 1:); , at the opening of the new year. It is still said that his Imperial Majesty will make a tour in Italy, and stay sonic time both at Rome and Naples. , " FRANKFORT, Not. 25.—The Empress Maria of Russia, the Grand Dukes Constantine and Mi chael, arrived here this evening. .NUT. 27.—Lord Castlereagh ar- „, e 3 . 0 , 1 . riva Lcre I-li3 i s " to set out in a few days for Paris. v , tb 4t IR ts , NA, Nov. 21.—1 t appears cer tat- ro the Emperor and Empress of Austria will rein here the 2d December. • e . " It is still said there isNkbe a marriage fl n tween the Archduke ) I "erdinaq (Prince 1 3 :(1 8/) # the eldest of the Princesses of the seeond°)B,f riage of the King of Bavaria. of " AUGSBURG, NOV. 23.--The EtnPer a Austria arrived to-day at Munich, where bis ICI perial Majesty proposes to remain a week , al/ then set out with the Empress for Vienna• the " it is no longer doubtful, that n either iii Emperor of Russia, nor the King of Prussia, take a journey to Munich. I ,t e ' " The Emperor of Russia, after som e stay Stuttgard, will proceed by the way of Fr aneo9l to Weimar, from thence by the way of Nat" lll3 Altenbura, and Saxon Erzgeberg, to Prague, 50d( then to Vienna. He will continue his till er° journey by the way of Moravia and Gidliciao to return to his States. " The two Earptesses of Russia will not W a : by the way of Vienna. They propose to r o f some tune at Bolin, and proceed by the 'l4l it Mittau,, Riga, and Revel, to St. Petersburgb• is however said, that the stay of the Fi niPres t Elizabeth will be prolonged in Germany , b ut it e t the Empress Dowager will not remaili 1 ° 14 1; than ten or twelve days - at Weimar, tind sfee .ll at Bellin, after which her Imperial ikitijestl proceed to Russia." Our Private Letter from Paris, received - day, is by no means calculated to all a y the lir! prehensions which the removal of the A lli° „ v Troops has occasioned. The several Poliestj le which Paris is divided, now throw o° n o mask, and speak with a degree of bit teri r i f against each other that threatens more vit'le.lo hostilities. Democrats hold up the;r increased confidence, and the real friends or (;‘, Throne and gi od order begin to look o pt trust and dismay on approaching even ts ' I d Correspondent assures us, that we may dePencollf this statement. We confess, that , t it ha r r s e ,f fears" aright,",..and by no means excites surprise. i! The Red Snow, which has been Metiti°" . .l the Public Prints been obstrvetlb/ot'al l tc RoSs in the Arctic re t ,,,ins, turns toi l f neither i more nor less than the ex7reffi en o vel -ktrown bird, called the Arctic Plibin• Di re Coraccra Papers to the 16th of Novernhco.eff been received. They state that 'much -l ic had prevailed among the foreign mortality bad been so great on board a V" 1 11 1- gate and sloop of war, as to prevent their P3oce to sea. Mat kets were very dull, and P r° scarce and high. f The Duke of SerssEx dined on the doY (I 4 , 04 MAJEsTY's funeral with the Hen , . licssull 11# SHIRLEY, at Mr. REED'S, at Datchett ",cet# turned to Kettsington Palace at two o'c l°c6 ov at terday morning. At the hour of ten . llightless again traversed nearly the same gtSitie taving an appointment to meet the rfli N c ce i GENT, the Duke of YORK, and the l'itc":"es at Kew Palace. , I l° , The PRINCE REGENT'S sorrow is deserrt—ev(l)ol. ° l ) ' have been of the most poignant nature' ‘ll ) 4 ;1 attending the funeral of the QUEEN• Highness looked very pale, and fal tere", gait. On the return of the Procession tueli)ler bons of his Royal Highness were, if greater than before ; they nearly' nve r ' t b t e c as l i the Illustrious Mourner. The INoble l'aft.olo each side his Royal Highness hall al l 1161 duty to perform. allege. " The Duke of RUTLAND was pre o ing her MAJESTY'S funeral on Wed nesdiP count of the Duchess being taken il l, 613- • acconchernent hourly expected. t °f 111 : We forgot to mention, in our accounl OP funeral solemnities at St. George's Char two Persians, said to be Princes, we re ill aro al organ-loft, and surveyed the awful Cele ' with great appearance of serious in terest• Mionte guns were fired on I%redues daY, in jef ten o'clock in the morning during the t l r e r of the day, from the Queen Ch a rlotte , 1 strip of Admiral Sir GF.ORG6 CANPRELL, 5t b"0 to MoUttl. 911 the shops were shut, awl ness was done in the Dock-yard. Th e " f e , b a funeral knell during the grea ter Wirt ° ` - o - b s et v) As tar as we have learned, the d he ay " 9 ; with egosl respect in all parts of The Royal Standard was hois ted bett-01° t th lrtF ° on board the men of war in commission several out-ports; and each ship fired 31) d i i rta i gluts. The same ceremonies we re obaerve . .0 011 the garrisons. die , .0 So great was the anxiety of some in, lo co to witness the departure of the finieratirf.oo sion of her late MAJESTY front KOS , . 1 1 Brea guineas were offered for a p a ltry 1'0°1" ll turd, without success. Gel ler e Letters were received yes terilav " M O, GOURGAUD, dated Cuxhaven, I;4 °' „i Baron was Theo on his way to lie,"l3"„.",i(jeir-, Holland House is now t he gro d g l4 of the Opposition. A Kr kind &lin e ' I° 10( therein evet y day. Lond °ll A superb carriage is building st° te' Prince TALLEY RAND. Lord ELLENBoitOUGH, we i t c : v o P re' was not so well yesterday as he was t h e fait' ceding days. th at 1/ A tcounts have reached lAOO a' oo t ( 4 ,0 1 Spanish vessels richly laden, crni"g Guilin, had been taken by the Jo s°. carried into Margaretta. are 500' I Afaik heti, R. Env. Li on in chi SektlTAToli Point, t h at s eY on the A lar ge kin‘lfaClUT Priz e to et sh ore a f e ('lte ctor, It iso to ti bRAL, D / :'tertlky in g for the th e c ape tv AI An , it ? uvri 46 rY, .rI t . F ~ T .II t roll) l otnr, /L u , eabl t . ti ttv etro t . so N, ft g th xoi fr guti Pitskeo 11 1 29 , ilw() ( t tl Sou the clew I,llcerri.ed h. t !turn. Itt) tit • ; Pe 4, t rt h e f (I° . ; to ss g, ' C ar, I area s , ( klt " will ' Teltis 4 3 , 14 r°; Stk.; I,i st rti ttry, 1 ; kitt s'eorgi F 'r/ !N o te o/ T deti la' (Tr/i t C4 4 : 4 ) ); i : i) tist l „ l"de, M, kitv r ' i t•rt a.‘ .; ite . 6 1 0 ti: et u rn 1114 1), :lose .sur: h tl" un( y Itt . t • ii t i r ai st. go tio bi, ce of tl 4 l. l !.ilit o • )4bi Hill Vtinre ti tO r lit 4 ti I th e or t t , " hed i'T n ti d L r, ta re T t! eir brought lre arloaintea with each ; And unw I hill hfippy to say, I would not have changed one of them, and could not, I believe, have done the bu siness With any other man in each department. Yet I }'rave had to fight the battles of cat!) against the multitude ; and, as it respects tbe Architect .nd Builder, sometimes arillinst each other but '' , they have all *ie 'fife - the honour to eionfide, in me, and , supported me. Should I not have been bad, to have forsaken any one of them By the only one Who now requires support, must and will stand. I could not make my stand without this very long explanation, which I conclude by asserting my con‘iction, that Mr. Arnold will achieve the favour of - the public as he has achieved my full confidence ; and that you will live to acknowledge, in the flourish ing state of Drury-Lane Theatre, that I was right in my judgment. lam sure lamin my motives. " I am, my dear Sir, " Faithfully your's. (signed S. WHITBREAD. " Dorvr-strert, Nov. 21, THEATRICAL REGISTER. Performed Last Aright. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.—(ISt time). ilintus: cius iunius, Mr. Kean ; Tarquinia, Mr,. W. West. After which, Two Strings to your Bow. THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT-GARDEV,—The JertIMIS Wife Mr. Oakley, Mr. Yonnc : Mrs. Oakley, Miss O'Neill. Alter which (Ist time), Ruse D'Amour. TO CORRESPONDENTS. STACKTIOUSE (Letter III.), To-morrow. PRICE OF •POCKS THIS DAY AT rwt:T.Vr: 3 per Cent. Red..........7Ak Bank L. Ann.....20i 3-t6ths 3 per Cent.Cons.....lBii 79 Imperial 3 per Cent. Ann. 75/ of per Ccnt • • 8741 India 80nd5......341. 83s. pr. 4 per Cents ..94 Exch. Bills I s. '2O. pr. 5 per Cent. Navy Ann... shut Consols. for Account... 711 Ali ______ NIAILS. ARRIVEV-1 Dublin, 2 AVaterford, 1 Flanders. Die-1 Guernsey and Jersey, 1 Hanthurgll, l !Tolland. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO•NIORROW. Morning. 29 minutes after 8. I Evening, h 4 nonutes after 8.